Meter system for telephone-exchanges.



R. I. UTTER.

METER SYSTEM FOR TELEPHONE EXCHANGES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, i9l4-. 1,281,106.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

R. I. UTTER.

METER SYSIEM FOR TELEPHONE EXCHANGES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22. mm.

1,281, 106. Patented 001;. 8, 1918.

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RICHARD I. UTTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KELLOGG SIVITCI-IBOAED &

SUPPLY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

METER SYSTEM FOR TELEPHONE-EXCHANGES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

. 7 Application filed June 22, 1914. Serial No. 846,417.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD I. UTTER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Meter Systems for Telephone-Exchanges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to meter systems for telephone exchanges and has for its object the provision of a meter system adapted more particularly for use in connection with the measuring of calls on trunk circuits.

My invention in the form disclosed herein provides means whereby a meter is associated with the B end of a trunk circuit and is so arranged that a call is registered whenever the plug is inserted into the jack at the A operators position of the trunk circuit. The devices for registering the call are entirely automatic in character and so adjust themselves after the call is registered that a second registration does not take place until after the trunkcircuit has been entirelydisconnected and is again connected for another call. I

I will explain various forms of carrying out my invention more in detail by referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating the same in which: 1

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a complete telephone system including the trunk circuit arranged with the meter system of my invention; 7

Fig. 2 is a similar trunk portion of a like circuit with a modified metering system, and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing another modified meter system;

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, I show a subscribers substation apparatus of the ordinary form at the substation C, which extends to the central station A Where a cord circuit is provided for interconnecting purposes to extend the connection from the substation C through the trunk circuit comprising the conductors 1 and 2 to the second central station B, from whence the call is continued through the subscribers-line consisting of the conductors 3 and 4 to the subscribers station D. The trunk circuit of course extends between the A exchange and the B exchange as is customary, and my improved metering mechanism is provided at the B exchange in connection with this trunk circuit.

My invention is not concerned with the particular subscribers station equipment or the apparatus at the exchange end of the terminating lines, nor with the cord circuit E at the A switchboard, except in so far as the supervision at the A exchange for the trunk end is concerned as'will appear in the later description.

I The cord circuit E is utilized to continue the connection through the A exchange from the .subscribers station C by having the plug 5 inserted in the 'jack 6 forming part of'the trunk line 1, 2. 1 A magnet 7 is provided with conductor 1 of the trunk line to operate the sleeve relay 8 of the cord circuit E as is readily apparent. The trunk circuit then extends as stated to the second central station B, where this trunk circuit ends in h and initially manually controlled ringing relay 17, the operation of all of which it is thought are readily apparent, and form no particular part of the present invention. 7

The conductors 1, 2, of the trunk circuit terminate at the B exchange in a transformer or repeating coil having the split windings 18 and 19. These two coils 18 and 19 are serially included before the talking circuit is establishedthrough a 15000 ohm relay 20'. The coils 18 and 19 are of course in suitable inductive relation with coils 21 and 22, through which the trunk circuit is extended to the tip and sleeve conductors of the plug 9. Initially when connection is ordered up by the A operator the B operator designates the trunk to be used, whereupon the A operator inserts the plug 5 into the jack 6 of the designated trunk line, whereupon circuit is established which extends from the battery 23, over the trunk conductors 1 and 2, and through the coils 18, 20 and 19 in series, thus energizing the 15000 ohm relay ture 29 connecting the indicating lamp 31 in circuit to thereby indicateto theB operator that the right trunk has been selected by the A operator. This circuit through the lamp 31 can be traced from the ground through battery, through the'lamp 31 by way of armature 29, conductor 32, back con tact 33, armature 34 of the sleeve relay 35 to ground. The relay armature 30 is attracted and makes contact with its front contact sooner than the armature 36 of the same relay 27 makes contact with its front contact. Armature 30 being thus first to close a circuit, circuit is thus established which can be traced from the ground, through armature 30, conductor 37,back contact 38, armature 39 of slow acting relay 40, through relay 41, through battery, to ground. Relay 41 is thus establishedwhich actuates its armature" 42 to thereby close a circuit through the relay 43 to operate the meter or counter 44. Immediately this call is registered the armature 36 engages its front con- 'tact, thereby establishing a circuit from the ground, through armature 36, through conductor 45, relay 40, battery, to ground. The relay 4O thereupon attracts its armature '39 and breaks the circuit through the relay 41, thus disconnecting the magnet 43 from circuit. 'When the plug 5 is inserted in the jack the circuit of the supervisory relay 63 extends over the trunk line 1 and 2 with the 15000 ohm relay 20 in series. This relay does not permit sufficient current to pass through the relay 63 to efface the clearing out signal 62. However, when the called 7 subscriber at the station D responds a short circuit is established about the relay 20, they relay 63 then operates to break the circuit through thelamp 62. The B operator upon receiving the signal through the lamp 31 immediately inserts the plug '9 into the jack 10, for instance, of the desired line. The insertion of the plug causes the sleeve relay 35 to be actuated as readily apparentand the actuation of thissleeve relay among other things establishes a lockingcircuitfor the relay 40 which can be traced from the ground,

through battery, through relay 40, front contact 46, armature 47, conductor 48, front contact 49, armature 34fto ground. The relay 40 is thus held up until the plug 9 is finally withdrawn, so that no further registration of the meter 44 takes place. The actuation of this relay 35 also breaks the connection to the lamp 31 by breaking the circuit at the contacts 33 and 34, thus extinguishing the lamp 31. The B operator then actuates the'ringing key 15 in the ordinary way and when the called subscriber at the station D responds, tip relay 50 is energized as readily apparent, thereby establishing a short circuit about the relay 20 which can be traced from the junction point 51, conductor 52, armature 53, conductor 54,

' plained. The circuit through the lamp 31 even though the armature 29 ls-now in engagement with its back contact, is not reestablished as the circuit through the conductor 59 is open both at the armature 60 and at the armature 61. 1 Y a As soon as the subscriber at station D hangs up, relay 50 is 'deener'gized, thereby again causing energization of the relay 20 to again energize the relay 27 thus attractingits armature 29. A further result due to the removal of the. shunt from about relay 20is the deenergization of the answering tip supervisory relay 63 associated with the A- op'erators linkcircuit. This actuates the supervisory lamp 6 2, whereupon the A operator withdraws the plug 5, releasing the relays-20 and 27, thereupon establishing a cir- 'cuit which can be traced from" ground relay 64 is completed, which can be traced from line conductor 2 through the coil 18, junction point 58, conductor '65, relay 64, conductor 66, armature 67, junction point 51, coil 19,to the line conductor 1. Armatures 30 and. 36. are thereupon actuated, completing circuit firstQthrough'the electro magnet '41 to register upon the meter 44, and then completingcircuit through the electromagnet 40 to break the circuit through the electromagnet 41. The actuation of the electromagnet 40 breaks the circuit through the relay 64 which is in shunt of the relay 85, thereby permitting relay 85 to become ener- "gized and the circuit through relay 40 is thereupon again locked by its armature 47 and armature 86.

' .In .Fig. 3, I show afurther modification of the meter circuit in that a completion of the trunk circuit at the A board establishes a circuit. through the relay 68, which thereupon attracts its armature 69 to thus establish a circuit through the relay 78. The

actuation of the relay 7 8 causes a registration upon'the meter 44 as will be obvious.

'At the same time the circuit through the replay 68 is broken by the contact spring 72, the armature 69 remaining however in an attracted positionon account of the peculiar construction of the springs 73' and 72.

Thereupon the relay 74 operates on account of the breaking of the shunt circuit about this relay by the contact springs 72, thus causing an actuation of the relay 75. The actuation of this relay 75 besides controlling the actuation of the lamp 76, also causes a restoration of the springs 72, 73 and the armature 69 by the actuation of its own armature 77, lifting the said springs 72 and 73 away from their holding position. Simultaneously with the actuation of the relay 75, relay 79 operates opening circuit through relay 68.

The cooperation of the parts thus described with the rest of the apparatus in Figs. 2 and 3 it is thought will be clearly apparent.

From what has been described it is thought the nature and objects of my invention will be readily clear to those skilled in the art, and also that changes will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art within the scope of my invention. Having however thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r

1. In a system of the character described the combination with a trunk circuit extending between two switching stations, of a link circuit at one of said switching stations, a meter associated with saidtrunk circuit, and means operable over said trunk circuit and immediately upon connection of said link circuit with said trunk circuit to record a registration upon said meter.

2. In a system of the character described the combination with two exchanges and a trunk circuit uniting them, of a meter associated with said trunk circuit, a link circuit at one of said exchanges, and means associated with said trunk circuit and controllable thereover, operable immediately upon the connection of said link circuit with said trunk circuit to effect aregistration on said meter.

3. In a system of the character described the combination with a plug ended trunk circuit extending between two switching stations, of a link circuit at one of said switching stations, an entering subscribers line at the other switching station, a meter associated with said trunk circuit, and means operable over said trunk circuit and immediately upon connection of said link circuit with said trunk circuit to record a registration upon said meter irrespective of the subsequent association of said trunk circuit with said subscribers line.

4.- Ina system of the character described the combination with a plug ended trunk circuit extending between two switching stations,of a link circuit at one of said switching stations, an entering subscribers line at the other switching station, a meter associated with said trunk circuit,'means operable oversaid trunk circuit and immediately upon connection of said link circuit with said trunk circuit to record a registration upon said meterirrespective of the subsequent association of said trunk circuit with said subscribers line, and means associated with said trunk circuit and operable upon association of said trunk circuit with said subscribers line to lock said first aforesaid means against further registration until disconnection of said interconnecting instrumentalities.

5. In a system of the character described the combination with a trunk circuit extending between two switching stations, of a link circuit at one of said switching stations, a meter associated with said trunk circuit, and means operable over said trunk circuit and immediately upon connection of said link circuit with said trunk circuit to record a registration upon said meter, said means including a meter controlling relay, a second relay for controlling said first aforesaid relay, and means for successively actuating said relay.

6. In a system of the character described the combination with a trunk circuit extending between two switching stations, of a link circuit at one of said switching stations, a meter associated with said trunk circuit, and means operable over said trunk circuit and immediately upon connection of said link circuit with said trunk circuit to record a registration upon said meter, said meter including a slow acting meter controlling relay, a second slow acting relay for controlling said first aforesaid relay, and means for successively actuating said slow acting relays.

7. In a system of the character described the combination with a trunk circuit extending between two switching stations, of a link circuit at one of said switching stations, a meter associated with said trunk circuit, and means operable over said trunk circuit and immediately upon connection of said link circuit with said trunk circuit to record a registration upon said meter, said meter including a slow acting meter controlling relay, a second slow acting relay for controlling said first aforesaid relay, -and a relay having a pair of successively actuated switching devices to successively actuate said slow acting relays.

8. In a system of the character described the combination with a trunk circuit extending between two switching stations, of

a link circuit at one of said switching stations, a meter associated, with said trunk circuit, and means operable over said trunk circuit and immediately upon connection of said link circuit with said trunk circuit to record a registration upon said meter, said meter including a slow acting meter controlling relay, a second slow acting relay for controlling said first aforesaid relay,

ing stations, and

and a slow acting relay having a pair, of successively actuated switching devices to successively actuate said slow actingv relays. Y 9. In-a system of the character described thecombination with a plug ended trunk circuit extendingbetween two switching stations, of a link circuit at one of said switchentering subscribers line at the other switching station,.a meter associated withsaid trunk circuit, means operable over said trunk circuit and immediately upon connection of said link circuit with said trunk circuit to record a registration upon said meter, said vmeans including a meter, controlling relay, a second relay for controlling said'first aforesaid relay, and

means for successively actuating said relays,

and means associated with said trunk circuit and operable upon association of sa1d trunk circuit with said subscribers line to :lock said first aforesaid means against further registration until disconnection of said interconnecting instrumentalities. I

10L In a system of the character described the combination with a plug ended trunk circuit extending between two switching stations, of a link circuit at one of said switching stations, an entering subscribers line at the other switching station, a meter associatedwith'saidtrunk circuit, means operable over sa1d trunk c rcuit and immediately upon connection of said llnk- ClIOllll): with said trunk circuit to record a registration upon sa1d meter, sa1d meter lIlOlllCllngEL slow actlng meter controlling relay, a second slow acting relay for controlling said' first aforesaid relay, and means for successively actuating said slow acting relay, and means associated with said trunk circuit and operable upon association of said trunk circuit with said subscribers line to locksaid first 1a foresaid means against further registration until dlsconnection of sa1d interconnect ng instrumentalitiesy- 11. In a system of the charaoterdescribed the combination with a plug ended trunk circuit extendingbetween two switching stations,,of alink circuit at one of said switching stations, an entering subscribers line at the other switching station, a meter associated with said trunk circuit, and means operable over said trunk circuit and immediately upon connection of said link circuit with said trunk circuit to record a registration upon said meter, said meter including .a slow acting meter controlling relay, asecond slow acting relay for controlling said first aforesaid relay, and a relay having a pair of successively actuated switching devices to successively actuate said slow acting relays, and means associated with said trunk circuit and operable upon association of said trunk circuit with said subscribers line to lock said first aforesaid means against further registration until disconnection of said interconnecting instrumentalities.

12. In a system of the character described the combination with a plug, ended trunk circuit extending between two switching stations, of a link circuit at one of said switching stations, a'meter associated with said trunk circuit, an entering subscribers line at the other switching station, means operable over said trunk circuit and immediately upon connection of sa1d link c1rcu1t with said trunk circuit to record av registration ing relays, and means associatedwithsaid trunk circuit and operable upon association of said trunk circiut with said subscribers 1ine to lock said first aforesaid means against further registration until disconnection of said interconnecting instrumentalities. v

13. A telephone system comprising an A- operators link circuit and a B-operatofisli-nk circuit, a meter associated with said B- operators link ircuit, and means responsive to the connection of said A-operators link c1rcu1t tothe sa1d B-operators link c1rcu1t for operating the said. meter. 7

.14. A telephonesystem comprisingga pair of switching stat1ons,a;trunk circuit terminating in manual terminals at said stations, a meter assoc ated with saldtrunk c1rcu1t,

'and neans responsive to a connection to. one

end of said trunk circuit for operating said metervto register such connection. I

I 15. A telephone system comprising a pair of switching stations, .a trunk circuit extending from. one to the other of said stations and terminating in,manualterminals at said stations, a recording device associated with one end of said trunk circuit, andmeans responsive to a connection wih the otherend of said'trunk circuit'for operating said recording device.;. I v

16. In a telephone system, an A-operators board and a B-operators board, a trunk circuit extending from said A-board to said B-board, a meter associated withsaid trunk c1rcu1t, and means responsive to the connection of an A-operatorls link c1rcu1t with the "said trunk circuit for causing the operation of said meter.

17 In a telephone system an A-operators boardand a B-operator sboard, a trunk circuit extending between said boards, a meter associated with said trunk circuit at the said B-board, an A-operators link'circuit, means responsiveto the connection of said A-link circuit to the said trunk circuit for operating sa1d meter devlce, and means for preventing further operations of said meter device.

18. In .a telephone exchange system, the

combination with a jack-ended trunk circuit and a plug-ended link circuit, of a meter for said trunk circuit responsive to the connection of said plug to said jack for register ing such connection, and means for connecting the other end of said trunk circuit to a subscribers telephone line.

19. A telephone system including manual switchboards, manual link circuits, a trunk circuit terminating in manual terminals of said sWitchboards, a registering device for said trunk circuit responsive to a connection of one of said link circuits to said trunk circuit, and means for manually connecting 1said trunk circuit to a subscribers telephone 20. In a telephone system a manual trunk circuit, a manual link circult for connecting thereto in extending a call, a call registering device, a relay for said trunk circuit responsive to such connection for'actuating said call registering device, and means for preventing further actuations of said call registering device until the apparatus of said trunk circuit is returned to normal.

Signed by me at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, in the presence of two Witnesses.

RICHARD I. UTTER. Witnesses:

GEORGE E. MUELLER, M. R. ROOHFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

